[Treatment of complete lumbar disk herniation by percutaneous discectomy]

Percutaneous diskectomy is a new treatment used in surgery of the spine for the treatment of herniated lumbar disks. The idea is to carry out an exeresis with a posterolateral percutaneous approach on a part of the herniated intervertebral disk; while always remaining outside the spinal canal. This technique eliminates the risks of fibrosis or arachnoiditis. It is carried out under local anesthesia, reduces the surgical insult and requires only a short stay in hospital. Between 1984 and 1988, 188 operations using this technique were carried out on L3-L4, L4-L5 and L5-S1. Of the first 100 cases studied, we note: 71% good and very good results for radiculalgia after a time lapse of more than a year, 51% good and very good results for low back pain; 16% of the patients required a surgical approach after percutaneous diskectomy. The authors specify the advantages and the indications of this surgical technique, which complements the traditional lumbar intervertebral disk surgery.